Marine obstacle deflector



1962 H. J. M CARTHY 3,066,640

MARINE OBSTACLE DEFLECTOR Filed June 25, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 DIRECTION OF TRAVEL INVENTOR.

HENRY J. MC CARTHY ATTORNEY Dec. 4, 1962 H. J. MCCARTHY 3,066,640

MARINE OBSTACLE DEFLECTOR Filed June 23, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIGB INVENTOR.

' HENRY J. MC CARTHY ATTORNEY United States Patent P 3,066,640 MARINE OBSTAQLE DEFLECTOR Henry J. McCarthy, Sargent Road, Marblehead, Mass. Filed June 23, 1961, Ser. No. 119,188 Claims. (Cl. 115-42) The present invention relates generally to marine transportation and, in particular, to novel underwater means to safeguard hulls and propulsion mechanisms of any and all types of vessels against damage from floating or submerged obstacles.

The present day increase in marine transportation by all types of pleasure craft has resulted in numerous sinkings and vessel disablements from floating or submerged obstacles. These occurrences are particularly frequent along the seacoast areas where pursuit of the fishing industry is carried on. A notable hazard common to all pleasure craft seafarers is the identification marker or buoy associated with lobster traps or pots. Since a large group of individuals pursue this industry With each operator having. upwards of a hundred pots, the number of buoys have multiplied rapidly. In addition to the quantities of such hazards involved, it is common for such buoys to become water-logged over the years and float a short distance beneath the water surface to further enhance the dangers to navigation. Higher speeds of all types of craft result in collisions with such hazards and rather serious consequences in most instances.

Numerous protective devices against such marine obstacles have been suggested in the past. One embodiment of such prior art is the so-called basket-cage type of protective device which completely encompasses the propulsion .means. Such devices, however have resulted in reducing overall speeds by a factor of one-third to onehalf which has deterred widespread usage. Furthermore, such devices may become dented by frequent contact and interfere with the propulsion means.

The present invention, therefore, has for its primary object the provision of a new and improved marine obstacle protective device.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a new and improved protective device for all types of marine craft to eliminate the hazards of partially or fully submerged obstacles.

A still further object is to provide a new and improved marine obstacle protective device that is easily installed on all types of craft and may be used without the attendant disadvantages of prior art devices having a similar pur pose.

Other objects, features and advantages will be evident after consideration of the following detailed specification together with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustratvie of the method of utilizing the embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a stern view of the illustrative marine craft showing the method of mounting the embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the illustrative marine craft shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of an alternative illustrative marine craft;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a sectional View taken along the line 66 in FTG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view taken perpendicularly to the view shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the embodiment of the invention shown mounted in its preferred manner; and

FIG. 9 is a sectional view along the line 99 in FIG. 8.

Referring now to the drawings, FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate the preferred method of mounting the embodiment of the invention. A pleasure craft 1 comprising a hull 2, keel or skeg 3 and inboard propulsion mechanism 4 of the twin screw type is about to contact a submerged obstacle, namely a lobster buoy 5, attached by means of line 6 to the lobster pot 7 resting on the bottom of the ocean. The movement of the buoy along the hull will normally bring it, as well as, the line in contact with the propulsion means 4. This leads to damage to the propeller and sometimes the force of contact results in the buoy being driven through the hull to sink the craft.

In accordance with the invention, I provide vane deflectors 10, preferably mounted along the lateral surfaces of the keel 3. The important feature of the defiector 10 resides in the angular displacement with relation to the keel. Due to the forward motion of the boat the line 6 is contacted and displaced laterally along with the buoy 5, as shown by the dotted lines in FIGS. 2 and 3. Hence, the craft may pursue its normal course without any interruption or damage from such hazards to marine travel.

FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate the application of the embodiment of the invention to the twin-screw type craft while FIG. 4- illustrates the embodiment used with a single screw 12.

In all cases of mounting with conventional propulsion driven craft the tips of the vane deflectors project a short distance beyond the outer peripheral edges. of the rotating blades of the propellers. In addition, a desirable spacing of approximately five to six feet ahead of the propellers has been determined experimentally, although on many smaller inboard pleasure craft this spacing may vary.

Referring now to FEGS. 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9, details of construction of the vane deflector it) will be enumerated. The embodiment comprises a main support or hub member 20 provided with a plurality of apertures 21 for mounting bolt and nut arrangements 22. Since it is desirable to mount the deflectors on each side of the keel 3, a single bolt may extend from one side of the keel to the other to provide a simplified mounting means as shown in FIG. 8. The main wing section 23 extends perpendicularly from the hub section and defines a leading edge 24 and a trailing edge 25 terminating in tip section 26. The upper and lower surfaces of wing section 23 may be provided with a slight taper as shown in FIG .9. The leading edge 24 is inclined rearwardly or raked along the horizontal plane. An angle of 30 degrees from a line A--A (FIG. 5) perpendicular to the hub section is suggested, however, this value is by no means limited and may vary with the length of the wing section. The trailing edge 25 will also be similarly inclined and an angle of 20 degrees from line B-B was found to be effective in an experimental embodiment. As a result the leading edge is inclined by 120 degrees from the longitudinal axis of the hull and the trailing edge is inclined slightly less or degrees.

Both edges terminate in the tip section 26 which may be curved or straight to define an overall configuration of reducing cross-section along the horizontal plane of the wing section. The reducing factor in the selected embodiment resulted in a tip dimension of approximately one-fourth of the cross-sectional area at the point adjacent to the hub section.

As shown in FIG. 6 the wing section barrels out slightly to a point approximately one-third of the overall width of the section as indicated by dimension :1 and has a thickness [2 of approximately one-eighth of the overall width 0. This defines a slight ridge which extends throughout the length and vertical plane of the wing section. In the experimental embodiment the length d of the wing section 23 was determined to be most effective when proportioned by a factor of five times the dimension e of the hub section 20, as shown in FIG. 9.

The vane deflectors 10 may be symmetrically mounted on the keel structure by the nut bolt arrangement previously described. A spacing between the deflectors and hull Will provide for the buoys contacted to pass over the upper surface of Wing section 23 and be deflected laterally away from the vessel propulsion means. The streamlining suggested in the construction of the vane deflectors results in negligible drag as the vessel travels through the Water and no noticeable reduction in speeds will occur.

The composition of the embodiment of the invention will of necessity be fabricated of a salt Water resistant material for durability and rigidity. A suggested metal is manganese bronze or any other of the various copper base alloys. Reinforced plastic materials may also be employed.

The invention thus provides an effective safeguard against the marine hazards outlined and Will competently satisfy the objects enumerated. While an embodiment of the invention has been specifically described, it is intended that all matter contained herein shall be interpreted only in accordance with the spirit and scope of the inven tion as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for the protection of a vessel, having a hull with a keel and propulsion means, from damage due to rope-suspended, floating or submerged obstacles comprising means for the deflection of such obstacles primarily by engaging the rope and passing it to the side of the hull, said means comprising a pair of hub sections, a pair of Wing sections each extending outwardly from a difierent one of said hub sections, said wing sections each providing leading and trailing edges with said leading edge disposed with respect to its associated hub section generally at an angle of greater than 90, said hub sections attached to opposite sides of the keel at a point anteriorly disposed With respect to the propulsion means and at a point such that said keel extends at least to the forwardmost part of said leading edges of said Wing sections so that either of said leading edges may contact an obstacle to deflect same laterally with respect to the longitudinal axis of the hull.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said leading and trailing edges have angles of inclination differing from one another by 10 degrees or less.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein each of said Wing sections terminate in a straight edge extending parallel to the axis of the keel.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein each of said wing sections have an overall length equal to approxi-v mately five times the overall length of said hub section.

5. Apparatus for the protection of a vessel, having a hull with a keel and propulsion means, from damage due to rope-suspended floating or submerged obstacles comprising means for the deflection of such obstacles primarily by engaging the rope and passing it to the side of the hull, said means comprising a pair of hub sections, a pair of wing sections each extending outwardly from a diifcrent one of said hub sections, said wing sections each providing leading and trailing edges with said leading edge being disposed with respect to its associated hub section generally at an angle of greater than 90, said hub sections being attached to opposite sides of the keel at a point anteriorly disposed with respect to the propulsion means in the region of the center of said vessel and at a point such that said keel extends at least to the forwardmost part of said leading edges of said wing sections so that either of said leading edges may contact an obstacle to deflect same laterally with respect to the longitudinal axis of the hull.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

